In All Honesty
by SYF
Summary: Hisoka wonders why Tatsumi broke up with Tsuzuki. Third in the Amethyst and Sapphire arc


Amethyst and Sapphire 3: In All Honesty 

By Syf

BOOM!!!

Hisoka winced knowing that all hell was about to break loose. That loud explosion was easily heard across the whole of JuOhCho. After all it was only Watari and one of his many failed experiments. It was expected that Watari would blow up his lab at least once a day, if not more. The explosions provided one of the few amusements that were sorely needed in the office, it was boring enough as it was. Most people enjoyed the break that came with rushing off to see what Watari had done. There was only one problem with that kind of entertainment. It costed money to set up the lab again. And when money was involved a whole lot of other trouble came tumbling down with it. Namely Tatsumi.

And true enough the secretary stormed out of his office and was waiting for Watari when he came out of the lab. Seiichirou Tatsumi was a very scary person when he was acting normal. But when he was angry he was terrifying. Hisoka wasn't ashamed to admit that even he found the man more than uncomfortable to be around. Tatsumi didn't appear on his empathic radar but that only served to make Hisoka more nervous. A man who appeared to have no feelings but was obviously spewing molten lava was not a comforting person to be around. But even that wasn't enough to make people stop anticipating the verbal thrashing that Watari was going to suffer at Tatsumi's hand. People always found it entertaining to see Tatsumi scolding Tsuzuki or Watari. And in spite of his reticence, Hisoka was no exception to the rule. 

So he watched with hidden amusement as Watari grinned sheepishly when he saw Tatsumi waiting for him. The shadow master's eyes were steel blue and his lips were thinned. "And what was it you attempted to create this time? Your famous sex-changing potion perhaps?" Tatsumi asked icily. The blond rubbed the back of his head shamefacedly. His face was covered with grime and pink coloured powder. His hair was in total disarray, and his lab coat was more pink and grey than white. Only his glasses had somehow escaped unscathed. In this state the scientist was hardly someone to inspire trust and respect.

Watari pretended not to notice that Tatsumi looked like he was about to have a nervous breakdown, that or try to kill Watari. "Eheh, no sex-changing potions this time. Actually I tried to make Tsuzuki ugly," he answered with a lopsided smile. Tatsumi's eyebrows went up at that response. The other shinigami looked at each other confused by Watari's words. 

"You tried to make Tsuzuki ugly?" Tatsumi's tightly controlled words demanded an answer. Before Watari said anything a figured shrouded by pink smoke came up behind the scientist. As the spectators watched, the pink smoke began to clear away to reveal Tsuzuki. A Tsuzuki with bright neon pink hair. Hisoka saw Tatsumi's eyes widen minutely with shock. That was the only hint that the secretary was surprised, other than that he looked as if he was used to seeing Tsuzuki with bright pink hair. But Hisoka, who didn't have nearly half as much control as Tatsumi, couldn't help but stare. He was more that surprised. He was shocked into silence. And judging by the sudden silence in the room everyone else was feeling the same way.

Tsuzuki's smile was just as sheepish as Watari's, if not more. "Er…Hiya Tatsumi," he greeted with a wave. 

"I should have known," Tatsumi muttered rolling his eyes. "So care to explain?" He looked from Tsuzuki to Watari and back. The two looked at each other then at Tatsumi. Watari stepped back slightly and to the left so that Tsuzuki was left standing by himself in front of the secretary. Everyone knew Tatsumi wouldn't blow a gasket at Tsuzuki. It was practically an office legend how much leeway Tatsumi allowed Tsuzuki. Not that one would think that at first glance, especially not when Tatsumi usually chased after Tsuzuki like a demon for reports that were due in long ago.

The purple-eyed man smiled sheepishly. "Well, you see Muraki seems to like me because I'm pretty so I was thinking that if I was ugly, he wouldn't like me as much." The thing was that Tsuzuki's reasoning was, in its own twisted way, very logical. Which, for reasons unknown to man, only seemed to make the supposed solution even stranger. Tatsumi reached out and tugged on one pink lock. A layer of the colour came off, staining the tip of his fingers a pale pink. 

Tatsumi looked at his hand critically. "Well, if Muraki hates the colour pink with a passion, I'd say that you've succeeded admirably well." Even the normally oblivious Tsuzuki cringed at the sarcastic words. Tatsumi sighed and grabbed Tsuzuki's arm gently. "Lets get the colour out of your hair."  Tsuzuki didn't protest as he was led away by an exasperated shadow master to find a sink and some soap.

All eyes turned to look at Watari, who looked at them with wide amber eyes. "It wasn't my fault, I was only doing what Tsuzuki asked," he protested. Many of the shinigami shared amused glances and with a grin for the scientist they went back to their work. Others, like Wakaba, Saya, and Yume huddled into small groups to talk about Tsuzuki's new hair colour. Hisoka was staring blankly into space caught up in his own thoughts. 

It was true that he was working on setting Tsuzuki and Tatsumi up but he had never given thought to the closeness that existed between them already. Sometimes it seemed like Tatsumi was still Tsuzuki's partner. Which led him to remember the conversation that they had during one of the Count's Sakura Viewing Tea Party, the one where Tsuzuki became caught up in the story written by the Count. He had just discovered that Tatsumi and Tsuzuki used to be partners and he remembered asking Tatsumi why they had broken up. The reply Tatsumi had given was that Tsuzuki was an idiot, and therefore he couldn't work with him. But it seemed so superficial. From what he had heard the two had been good partners even if, as Tatsumi said, Tsuzuki was an idiot. So the fact that Tsuzuki was a moron couldn't have been the real reason for the break up. Anyway, Hisoka thought to himself, Tatsumi didn't seem to mind that idiocy a few nights ago when he'd caught the man practically doting over his ex-partner.

"Something wrong Bon?" Hisoka started and looked up to see Watari looking at him curiously. Just then the GuShoShin floated by near them. Hearing the words the two brothers stopped and looked over at them. As did Saya, Yume, and Wakaba who were just too curious for their own good.

"I was just wondering why Tatsumi broke off their partnership." Hisoka spoke before thinking, a rare thing for him. The three girls, as well as the two GuShoShin brothers, abandoned their previous topic and converged on Hisoka like a pack of hyenas. The teenage boy looked vaguely alarmed at being the center of attention but Watari looked amused at his shocked expression. 

"What did you say about Tatsumi?" Yume asked enthusiastically. Hisoka blinked. 

"Er…I wanted to know why Tatsumi broke up with Tsuzuki," he repeated dazedly. This was entirely reminiscent of the first time that he met Saya and Yume. He was way out of his depth. Having spent his childhood locked up in a basement Hisoka was naturally unused to dealing with people. Three girls and two floating chickens suddenly grouping around him was disturbing to say the least. 

"Well that's easy, Tsuzuki is an idiot," Terazuma answered from behind Wakaba. He had seen his partner talking to Hisoka, and when he saw Saya, Yume and Watari, as well as the GuShoShin, his curiosity got the better of him. Hisoka fought down his irritation at the contempt in Terazuma's voice. He and the older shinigami had never seen eye to eye, mostly because Terazuma was less than friendly toward Hisoka's partner. And the fact that the older shinigami seemed to have a lot trouble regarding Hisoka as a male, as proven by the fact that he turned into a monster each time he touched Hisoka. That wasn't exactly the best way to befriend a person in Hisoka's opinion.

Watari frowned slightly, the expression looking very much out of place on his face. "I don't think that's it. There's got to be something more to it," he mused out loud. Hisoka sighed, grateful that someone understood what he was talking about, but Watari _did_ know more than the other shinigami did. Terazuma snorted and was about to speak up when he was interrupted by none other than his own partner. 

"I think Watari's right," she said with a puzzled look on her face. Terazuma, Saya, and Yume turned to look at her strangely. Obviously they thought she was off her rockers. The two floating chickens looked back and forth between the two sides resembling spectators at a tennis match. They were merely there to watch, not participate.

Hisoka could see the pending argument so decided to toss his own two pence in before anyone else could get a word in. He knew from experience that only the loudest or the fastest actually got heard. "Tatsumi said that he doesn't want to work with idiots but as the secretary he's working with more than one idiot. He has to deal with all of us not just the one shinigami." Saya and Yume looked astounded by his reasoning. Terazuma scowled, unhappy at the way Hisoka had hinted that _he_ was an idiot. Wakaba and Watari looked gratified that someone was agreeing with them. The GuShoShin kept watching and listening.

"So why do _you_ think they broke up?" Yume asked, her voice puzzled rather than challenging. Watari, Hisoka, and Wakaba looked at each other. They all shrugged. 

Hisoka answered for the three of them. "Who knows?" 

Watari snickered. "Maybe Tatsumi and Tsuzuki broke up because Tatsumi couldn't stand the shame of being partnered to someone who kept pushing the budget into the red zone."

"I am positive that there are other things you could be doing, other than contemplating the break up between Tsuzuki and I." The cool voice washed over them like icy water. So intent had they been on their discussion, they hadn't noticed anyone creep up on them. They all started and either looked up or turned around to find Tatsumi glaring at them with sub-zero sapphire eyes. The girls eeped and scuttled out of there. Terazuma muttered something about finishing a report and walked away as fast as his dignity allowed. The two GuShoShin pretended they had heard nothing and floated back to their library as quickly as they could. Watari and Hisoka were left behind to face the wrath of Tatsumi. 

Hisoka and Watari sneaked panicked looks at each other when Tatsumi didn't say anything immediately. The scientist decided to take it upon himself to break the silence. "Sooo…Is Tsuzuki cleaned up already?" Watari asked brightly. Tatsumi continued to glare. The blond wilted under the hard stare, unable to stand the icy gaze. The secretary opened his mouth, probably to say something scathing when Hisoka decided to save his fellow shinigami. It was not going to be pretty being the center of Tatsumi's attention but he could hardly let someone else take the blame for him. 

"It wasn't his fault Seiichirou-san, I was the one started talking about it," Hisoka blurted out. Both Watari and Tatsumi looked at him in surprise. Watari because he was shocked that Hisoka would even think of owning up, he knew how the thought of an angry Tatsumi usually deterred anyone from speaking up. Tatsumi was surprised because Hisoka, who was never one to gossip, had just confessed that he was the one who started the conversation off. 

"I see…" Tatsumi trailed off and pushed his glasses up. He stared hard at Hisoka, making the boy wish the floor would just swallow him up. Watari fidgeted beside his friend not knowing what to do. A few tense seconds later Tatsumi's eyes softened imperceptibly. The first sentence he uttered was directed towards Hisoka, the second one towards Watari.

"When Tsuzuki comes back make sure he completes all of his reports. After you clean up I want a damage report on my desk." Hisoka nodded silently while Watari's nods were so rapid it was a wonder his head hadn't fallen off already. 

Tatsumi's eyes hardened again. "And next time you want to know about the failed partnership between Tsuzuki and I, ask." Yep, Hisoka was really wishing the floor would swallow him up. From the look on his face, Watari was wishing the exact same thing. The two shinigami were left standing with looks of chagrin on their faces, Hisoka's less obvious than Watari's. 

~ * ~ * ~

Tatsumi was taking a well-deserved tea break by the lake. It was late afternoon and since he had been working since early morning he knew he should take a break. Not even the gods of death were immune from stress. With a cup of warm tea in his hand the cerulean-eyed man was standing at the edge of the lake, admiring the sakura trees across the body of water, thinking of nothing in particular.

"Excuse me Seiichirou-san," the hesitant voice made Tatsumi look down at the speaker. He found to his surprise that it was Hisoka. The empath rarely talked to him outside of office hours. And for a good reason. The two had absolutely nothing in common, aside from that fact that they were both Tsuzuki's babysitter, but that was hardly a suitable topic for civilised conversation. 

Nonetheless Tatsumi smiled politely. He had been taught from birth to be polite and he saw no reason to act otherwise now. "Can I help you Kurosaki-san?" The boy in question hesitated for a mere second before gathering his courage and forging on. 

"I was wondering why it was that you felt that the partnership between you and Tsuzuki would never have worked out." Tatsumi blinked as he thought rapidly. Why were people so interested in his personal life? Were their lives so boring that they had to meddle in his? This was the fourth time in a row he had heard that subject mentioned. First were oblique comments from Wakaba, which he ignored. Then Saya and Yume began to talk loudly about Tsuzuki and why anyone would even think of breaking up with him. Next were the GuShoShin, who dropped indiscreet hints about Tsuzuki and their partnership each and every time he entered the library. At least Hisoka had the courtesy to ask him directly. Perhaps this was the reason that Tatsumi decided to at least tell Hisoka a small part of the reason for his decision, or maybe he was just sick of people asking. If he told Hisoka, the blond could go tell everyone else. Of course, Tatsumi decided, he would never tell him everything. The only one whom Tatsumi would ever tell the whole truth to was Tsuzuki. 

Tatsumi sighed and fully turned to face the younger shinigami. Hisoka's face was as bland as ever but he could sense the curiosity and anticipation coming from the blond. Perhaps in his eagerness to hear the tale the empath forgot to shield his emotions, or perhaps it wasn't sensing as much as seeing the light of excitement in Hisoka's eyes. Either way Tatsumi knew that the other shinigami wanted to hear the reason. "You have heard me say countless times that Tsuzuki is an idiot." Hisoka nodded slowly. Tatsumi smiled slightly. "But you have never heard me say _why_ it was that I think he is an idiot." While Hisoka's face didn't change expression Tatsumi could tell he was confused. The older man decided to take pity on his colleague. 

He took a sip of his tea before continuing with his narration. "There are some people in this world who give and give, rarely taking anything. They care very much for people so the only things they take are the pains of others." Tatsumi's words were carefully phrased as if unsure of what he was saying. "They see someone in pain and they can do nothing but feel hurt _for_ them, even when that person deserves that pain. These people will do anything in their power to stop others hurting. Tsuzuki is one of those people. He feels too deeply, and that is a dangerous thing in our line of work. Tsuzuki takes all the pain upon himself so that the person isn't hurting anymore. He cares so much for the people we kill that each time we take someone's life all he can do is weep afterwards. He never forgets their name. Even now he can probably recite to you all the people he ever had to kill, from the first to the latest." Hisoka was silent. Tatsumi took a deep breath. 

"I on the other hand, do not care as deeply for our…clients. I regret that their life is cut short, but it is their time, and I am not one to argue with the Count of the Castle of Candles. If I could allow them to live on, I would. But since I cannot I can only grant them a swift and painless death. And that is the crux of the reason why I cannot work with him. He cares too much and I care too little. I got sick of hearing him crying after a particularly nasty case. He is an idiot for caring so deeply and I don't work with idiots." That seemed to be the end of the matter as Tatsumi turned his back on Hisoka to stare out over the lake again. 

The younger man was silent, not because it was his nature but because he was shocked. Who would have thought that Tatsumi would have such a complex reason? Or such a harsh way of phrasing it. Although Hisoka had to admit that it had its merits. Tatsumi was right about Tsuzuki. The other man did care too much. And it was true that it was dangerous in their line of work. And in a way Hisoka could sympathise with the man. But even then the empath somehow sensed that he wasn't being told the complete truth. He was positive that there was more, there had to be. Tatsumi couldn't be as heartless as he claimed to be…could he? Hisoka shivered, and it was _not_ because the cold. He hoped that Tatsumi wasn't as cold-hearted as he seemed. If he were…Hisoka banished the thought from his head with a shake of his head.

After a whole minute of silence, Hisoka at last realised that Tatsumi wasn't going to give away more than he already had. Hisoka was thankful that he got this much out of the man at least. Pushing for more would be suicidal. "Arigatou Seiichirou-san," Hisoka said with a small bow even if the other shinigami couldn't see. He turned to leave but was stopped by Tatsumi's voice. 

"You don't have to keep hiding your relationship with him anymore. We are dead, old prejudices don't apply to any further extent and beside most of us are liberal minded people." Hisoka stumbled on a non-existence obstruction as the words reached his mind. He whirled around to face Tatsumi, but the man hadn't even turned to look at him. For the first time in a while Hisoka could feel some sort of emotion from Tatsumi. The other man was amused at both Hisoka's relationship as much as his reaction to his words.

Hisoka's face turned a pale pink. The boy cursed his naturally pale skin as he fought hard to control his blush but succeeded only to a small margin. "Thank you Tatsumi-san," he managed to choke out, "I am sure he will be as equally relieved as I am about it. But, if you don't mind me asking, how did you know?" 

Hisoka just knew that Tatsumi was smirking. "I can see the lake from my window, and I do tend to stay at the office quite late on some evenings." His voice was as controlled as any other time but there was a hint of mischievousness to it. Hisoka's face, if it were possible, grew even redder.

"I will inform him about it," Hisoka mumbled hiding his eyes behind his fringes. 

Tatsumi looked unperturbed by Hisoka embarrassment. "Before I forget, congratulations. Perhaps with your guidance he might stop wasting the department's money." Hisoka did not wait to hear more. He fled to the office as soon as Tatsumi finished speaking, all the while cursing himself, Tatsumi, and everyone he knew, including Muraki, since if not for him Hisoka wouldn't be a shinigami, and therefore not in this position at this current moment. And he promised himself that he would succeed in setting Tatsumi and Tsuzuki up, if only to turn the table on the shadow master. Enmadaioh knew that the man deserved some sort of humiliation.

Tatsumi chuckled to himself as he heard Hisoka's feet walk away quickly. He had to admit that the boy was fun to tease. With his habit of blushing at any kind of innuendo, Hisoka was very much like a young girl with her new boyfriend. Tatsumi supposed that in a way this was true. He was certain that this was the first healthy _intimate_ relationship that the teenage shinigami had ever had with anyone. And he wished them all the luck. But secretly he couldn't wait until Hisoka and his beau came out of the closet, so to speak. It would prove to be very amusing indeed. And Tatsumi chuckled again as he lifted his cup to his lips.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So it seems that Tatsumi is unaware of what Hisoka is planning. I almost feel sorry for the guy. But I'm going to have fun with him, I can tell. Tatsumi can be a bit of an arrogant bastard at times. I don't blame Hisoka for wanting to embarrass the man. I know I would if I were him. 

The third of the Amethyst and Sapphire arc. I'm sure that you are all aware why I call it Amethyst and Sapphire. If you aren't aware of it, I suggest you go read the manga or see the anime, or just look for yami pics on the 'net. The story is getting there. I have no idea how many stories there're going to be before the two heroes finally see some sense but even if Hisoka does succeed it's not going to be the end. There's still Muraki to contend with. And the whole Tsuzuki angst that's coming in the next story. Trust me, it might seem like fluff, but the angst is still hovering around. So sue me, I like to torture my characters. Tsuzuki and Hisoka are just so cute and torturable. 

And at the end there is a hint of whom I've finally decided to pair Hisoka up with. I'm sure it's going to be very obvious to people who've avidly read manga or seen the anime. On the other hand it is a pretty vague clue so if you don't know, don't worry about it.

Um…I'd just like to ask for a little bit of help. Does anyone know where I can find some info on Tsuzuki and Tatsumi's past, actually preferably everyone's past, even Muraki's? If you know of a site could you please e-mail the address to me rather than chuck it in a review? If there's someone out there who could, I'd be ever so grateful. 

And finally, thanks for all the reviews that's been coming my way. Reviews make me high as a kite. Thanks for people who gave me some valuable criticism as well. Believe me I'm well aware of how much I need to improve. I'm concentrating on my other fics so don't worry that I've suddenly decided to drop this arc like a hot potato when I don't update it for a while. It's just me doing too many things at once.

Till next story,

Syf


End file.
